Rural Wireless Association Objects to T-Mobile/Grain Spectrum Deal

The Rural Wireless Association is fighting Grain Management's proposed purchase of T-Mobile's 800 MHz spectrum in exchange for cash and Grain's 600 MHz spectrum portfolio (see 2503210033). In a docket 25-178 petition to deny posted Monday, the group said the deal raises red flags about spectrum aggregation, competitive access and spectrum warehousing. A Grain/T-Mobile deal would be in the public interest if the FCC denied the related waiver requests and put conditions on T-Mobile's acquisition of the 600 MHz spectrum, the filing said. It urged the agency to keep the current license renewal timelines and buildout obligations for the to-be-assigned 800 MHz licenses, ensuring that Grain promptly makes the spectrum available to utilities, rural and regional carriers, and enterprise providers. Meanwhile, T-Mobile should be required to partition the 600 MHz licenses and make the spectrum available to small and rural carriers to lease long term or acquire, the association said.